More protection for teen donors may be necessary

WSLS, Feb 19, 2019

New research from Johns Hopkins finds that teen girls who donate blood may be at risk for iron deficiency.

Scientists looked at blood samples from nearly 10,000 girls who had donated blood within the past year. Their iron levels were lower than non-donors', regardless of age, but were especially low among teens.

Because anemia can be harmful to the developing brain, experts say more protection for teen donors may be necessary.